String Anchors

[sherry-lenox]

I use pieces of #12 electrical cable. It’s flexible but lasts a long time. I reuse the same pieces over and over too. No musical reason, just an electrically minded husband.

[lyn-boundy]

Tracey – thank you for explaining that! Does it only apply with gut strings? (I ask because I’ve just been on my hands and knees examining my harp strings and can’t see anything that fits the anchor description – but then mine has synthetic strings so I wonder if that’s the reason?) I guess I’ve just been lucky so far with strings. My harpsicle is about 5-6 years old now (nylon strings) though she’s only been ‘heavily’ played for the past 2 years and I’ve never had to change a string yet. Could something untoward be causing your strings to break? 4 strings in a month sounds horrendous!

And thank you to everyone who still doesn’t mind answering my stupid questions. I learnt as a (mature) student that you only learn anything by not being embarrassed to ask, however dumb the question seems, but I’m sure that doesn’t make it any easier to take for the poor people who are always being questioned. I really do appreciate it.

[tracey-kjonegaard]

Hey Lyn,
I have gut and nylon strings on my harp right now and I use them on both. The only strings I don’t use them on are the 5th and 4th octaves. (Actually I think half of the 4th octave might have them, can’t remember) I’m not sure about using them with synthetic strings. I would think that it doesn’t matter, considering that the use of them depends on the size of the hole you’re pulling the string through and whether or not your string will tie a big enough knot to prevent it from slipping through.
And actually, I think the reason that 4 of my strings broke in a month was because my harp is still “settling in” hahah. I’ve been emailing Lyon & Healy a lot, concerned about my harp but I guess it makes sense now. When I took it home, it had just been brought out of the factory a few days before. So, taking it almost straight from the factory and into my house, I guess there needed some adjustment/settling time but also, we’ve had crazy weather in Chicago. The last couple of weeks we had a few bad thunderstorms (of course I broke a string through each storm) and this week its in the 70s and 80s!? Luckily, it seems like its settling in now because I’ve found that its mostly just the replacement strings that I have to tune more than just a small tweak 🙂

[lyn-boundy]

I almost believe I’d be willing to sacrifice a few strings just to get a bit of sunshine here (UK), though the last couple of days have been lovely.. I’m glad to hear your harp and its stirngs are settling down now, that must have been incredibly frustrating.

[tracey-kjonegaard]

Ha yes it was quite frustrating. I can’t tell you how many times I emailed the woman that was helping me from Lyon & Healy (who has been really helpful, by the way), my harp teacher and even on this forum, looking for advice. Of course I thought something was wrong with it because 4 strings in one month seems excessive but I suppose I was overreacting a bit. Regardless, all is well now 😀

[Elizabeth Volpé Bligh]

I had a similar experience a couple of years ago when I bought a new pedal harp. I had to replace so many strings, I could only assume it must have been the change of climate. It was fine for a long time, then it had a spasm of breaking 2nd octave B’s for about a month, then it settled down again. (I reamed out the string hole with a toothpick, in case there was a burr in the hole.)

[Sherj DeSantis]

I frequently use the dental cotton packs. A dentist just gave me a whole pack. They are large, soft, no buzzing. They are about an inch long, 1/3 inch thick. It was something my harp teacher taught me. The chance that a string will slip through the string dots strip with one of these is pretty slim.

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